Single-cell transcriptome profiling reveals vascular endothelial cell heterogeneity in human skin

Area of Science:

• Vascular biology
• Dermatology
• Single-cell genomics

Background:

• Endothelial cells (ECs) are active participants in cellular communication, not just passive conduits.
• The specific functions and diversity of ECs within skin tissue are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the tissue-specific features and heterogeneity of dermal ECs using single-cell RNA sequencing.
• To create a comprehensive atlas of human dermal ECs.

Main Methods:

• Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of skin tissues from 10 donors.
• Analysis of over 23,000 single-cell transcriptomes to build a dermal EC atlas.
• Validation of identified arteriovenous markers using immunofluorescence in human skin.

Main Results:

• Dermal ECs exhibit distinct metabolic, signaling, chemotactic, and adhesion properties compared to ECs from other tissues.
• Five major dermal EC subtypes were identified, each with unique molecular signatures and functions.
• Arteriole ECs favor oxidative phosphorylation, capillary ECs show immune surveillance roles (HLA-II expression), and venule ECs are involved in immune cell interactions.

Conclusions:

• This research provides a detailed map of human dermal EC characteristics and heterogeneity.
• The findings lay the groundwork for investigating how dermal ECs change in various skin diseases.